Sunday, June 3, 2012

George Harrison All Things Must Pass

All Things Must Pass is a triple album by George Harrison, recorded and released in 1970, the first solo work from him since the break-up of The Beatles in April that year. The original vinyl release featured two LPs of rock songs as well as Apple Jam, a third disc of informal jams. All Things Must Pass was the first triple album released by a solo artist, if not the first three-record set in the history of rock music.

In regards to the album's size, Harrison stated: "I didn't have many tunes on Beatles records, so doing an album like All Things Must Pass was like going to the bathroom and letting it out."

The album was critically acclaimed and, with long stays at number 1 in both the US and the UK, commercially successful. It was certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2001.

Harrison had been accumulating the songs he recorded for the album as far back as 1966; both "Art of Dying" and "Isn't It a Pity" date from that year. He picked up several more songs in late 1968 while visiting Bob Dylan and The Band in Woodstock, New York. Harrison and Dylan co-wrote "I'd Have You Anytime" and "Nowhere to Go" (also known as "When Everybody Comes to Town") at this time, and Dylan showed him "I Don't Want to Do It". All three songs were attempted at some point in the sessions for All Things Must Pass, but only "I'd Have You Anytime" was included in the album.

The January 1969 Get Back sessions saw early appearances of several other songs that would be considered for All Things Must Pass, including the title track, "Hear Me Lord", "Isn't It a Pity", "Let It Down" and "Window, Window", but nothing came of them at the time. The tense atmosphere fuelled another song, "Wah-Wah", which Harrison wrote in the wake of his temporary departure from the band. He began writing "My Sweet Lord" while touring with Delaney & Bonnie in late 1969, and would later utilize their backing group "Friends" as an important part of the All Things Must Pass sound. He made one last detour before beginning work on All Things Must Pass, visiting Dylan while the latter was starting sessions for New Morning in May 1970, learning "If Not for You" and participating in a now-bootlegged session